Futurelooks Holiday 2008 Guide to Targus Mac Accessories

There's no doubt that Apple and their charismatic evangelist, Steve Jobs, have turned their fruit into a serious competitor to PC and Windows. With impressive industrial design that borders on artistic, there's no mistaking that signature "Mac Look" in a sea of computers. That's why companies have been trying to come up with ways to appease the fickle Apple market by trying to design their own "Mac Look" products.

Targus has long been a supplier of accessories for PC notebooks like mice, coolers, locks and other tidbits for your mobile lifestyle. Although they do pretty well for themselves in that market, their products often lacked that look that Apple Lovers tend to gravitate towards: Style. That's why Targus went back to the drawing board and created a series of products that are designed specifically with that "Mac Style" and should be a safe bet for that Apple Fan on your Holiday Shopping List. Of course, there's no reason why you can't pick them up for yourself too. Let's check them out!

More USB Ports For Your Macbook...

Whether it's a Macbook, Macbook Air or Macbook Pro, chances are the minimal amount of USB ports onboard might make you envious of that PC guy having that coffee beside you. The solution? How about a USB Hub...

Of course, not any USB hub will do and this is why Targus didn't just make one of their previous products white. The USB Hub for Mac (Model # ACH105US) measures 3.5" x 1.7" x .75" and weighs 1.8 oz, which is thin enough and light enough to toss into one of many more stylish than functional bags that seem targeted directly towards Mac users. The design employs very Apple-Like colors like MacBook Pro grey and iPod White.

Instead of sporting a set of dangly tentacles or being exposed to the elements all the time, the hub sports a unique wrap around rubber cover that doubles as the connection cable to your Mac. Underneath you'll find four USB 2.0 ports, with the two outer ones being set at an angle giving the middle two a little more room. The only thing that I found a little, well, sorta gross, is how the super sticky rubber cover piece loved picking up pieces of lint and food and other things that might end up dropping into the crevices of your notebook bag.

The USB Hub for Mac will run you about $29.99 US.

A Mac Accessory for that Budding Steve Jobs

As a master of the keynote, Steve Jobs probably has a gold plated presentation wand handmade for him by mystical elves. But for the rest of us, there is Targus and their Bluetooth Mac Presenter.

The Bluetooth Presenter for Mac (Model # AMP11US) measures 5.1" x 1.65" x .98", weighs 3.7 oz. Small enough to tuck into a pocket or easily into your notebook bag. It uses a touch scroll sensor to move the cursor around the screen while intuitively placed buttons are setup to minimize embarrassing mistakes in front of large scary audiences. You'll also be less likely to drop it thanks to the rubberized grip and the ergonomic design. All primary presentation controls such as previous slide, next slide and laser pointer are easily identifiable and accessible while secondary functions like blank screen and slide show are also available, but tucked out of the way.

Whether you use PowerPoint or Keynote, this "magical wand" will be able to take on both with equal prowess while the Bluetooth gives you 33 feet of freedom if you've happen to take a liking to the Steve Balmer rather than Steve Jobs style of presenting. The Bluetooth Presenter for Mac can be found for around $79.99 US.

About The Author

Stephen is front man, and Editor in Chief of Futurelooks.com. His interests include all things techie, but in particular, computer hardware, and cooking. When he's not geeking out, he's a father of three kids, Lexi, Tiberius, and Jaxon.